


Too Much

by Beth Harker (Beth_Harker)



Category: Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice
Genre: Gen, PTSD, Riccardo takes a positive view of the whole life with Marius thing because he doesn't know better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-02-23
Updated: 2008-02-23
Packaged: 2019-05-10 05:05:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14730506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beth_Harker/pseuds/Beth%20Harker
Summary: Amadeo and Riccardo talk at a tavern, a few months after Amadeo comes to live with Marius.





	Too Much

Riccardo darted forward to snatch up Amadeo's glass, just moments before it would have shattered against the floor. The spilt wine dripped slowly off the table, and Amadeo was laughing so that Riccardo was worried he would fall out of his seat. He reached across the table to put his hands on Amadeo's shoulders, getting the sleeve of his tunic wet in the process. 

"Amadeo, quiet, do you want people to stare?" Riccardo whispered, biting back his own laughter. He thought that it had been an excellent idea to bring Amadeo with him to the tavern, if only because he had never seen him laugh with such total abandon. Resting his head upon the table, Amadeo was able to swallow back his laughter for a moment, but soon his shoulders were shaking with it. 

"You spilled your drink," Riccardo said. "Do you want another?" 

"Yes, get me three." 

Amadeo took the glass of wine that Riccardo gave him, and swallowed it down in one gulp. 

"Ah, that's not how you drink wine." 

Amadeo only shrugged. His laughing fit was waning now, and he sat with his head in his arms, watching Riccardo with a dazed and satisfied look.

"Do you want to return to the Palazzo?" Riccardo asked.

Amadeo shook his head, "No, I want more wine." He laughed again, but only for a moment. Riccardo poured another glass for Amadeo, warning him to sip it this time. 

"Will the Master be angry that we spent our day here?" Amadeo asked.

"No, I've done it before, and he's never been bothered by it. He doesn't want us to get into trouble, but he wouldn't begrudge us a bit of fun."

Amadeo swallowed half of his drink.

"Have you always lived with the Master?" he asked. 

"Not always," Riccardo said, "But almost always. I was the youngest of the boys when I first came to live with him."

"Now you're the oldest. Give me more wine."

"You haven't finished what you have." 

Amadeo sat up quickly, and looked at his glass as if surprised that it was still there. Before Riccardo could prevent him from doing it he had poured what remained of his wine onto the floor. 

"Amadeo!"

 

More laughter. When Amadeo pushed his now empty glass forward expectantly, Riccardo did not refill it. 

"Where did you live before you lived with the Master?" Amadeo asked. He was leaning against the table again, but suddenly he did not sound drunk at all. 

Riccardo's brow creased. "I was – very young before I came to live with the Master. I do remember my father, what he looked like… things like that. It's good that the Master took me in." at once, Riccardo smiled again. "There were less boys when I first came to stay with the Master," Riccardo continued, "and the murals on the walls were different. Sometimes the Master will cover his old works over in white and begin something new in their place. Our Master is the best painter the world has ever seen, but he cares nothing for his work, only the act of painting it."

"Ah." Amadeo said. He closed his eyes. 

"Let's go back to the Palazzo." Riccardo whispered, leaning across the table so that his face was close to Amadeo's.

"No, not yet." Amadeo sat up. "Tell me more about the boys who lived with the Master when you first came. Are any still here now?" 

"I was the youngest, as I said, and I'll be the right age to leave in a few years. I had lived with the Master for some time when Albinus came. I used to always follow one of the older boys, Giraldo. The older boys always look after the little ones. Giraldo is married now, and lives with his wife in Padua."

"Do you look after me as though I'm a little child?" Amadeo asked. Riccardo was not sure whether or not he sounded bitter. 

"No," Riccardo said, "I look after you as though you're a friend who is tired from a long journey."

Amadeo reached across the table and grabbed at Riccardo's wine glass, which was still full. He drank it quickly.

"I came here on a ship," Amadeo said. He did not seem to be looking at Riccardo, but at some point beyond him. 

"Yes?"

"I was meant to die, to be damned for it."

Riccardo took Amadeo's hand and squeezed it tightly. "You were meant to come here and stay with the Master, or he wouldn't have found you. Marius can look into a boy's soul. He doesn't make mistakes." 

Amadeo shook his head. 

"What happened to you on the ship?"

"A ship?" 

Riccardo nodded. 

Amadeo looked much younger than he had seemed to Riccardo only a few hours ago. 

"We're going back now." Riccardo said.

Amadeo said something in reply, but Riccardo did not understand the language that he used. 

"What?" 

Silence. 

Riccardo did not move right away. Amadeo was very pale, and had a look as if the world had just collapsed around him. Riccardo pulled Amadeo into a tight embrace, which he held until he felt Amadeo return it. 

Reaching into his purse, Riccardo took out a large handful of gold pieces, which he left on the dry part of the table. 

"Let's go." He said, taking Amadeo's hand. 

"I think you have to drink too much once or twice," Riccardo continued, as they left the tavern, "before you know how much wine isn't good for you…"


End file.
